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The Boat Fanatic Thread

Yarbr

By Yarbr
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justhookit
justhookit

Offer accepted yesterday, surveys scheduled over the next few weeks. If all checks out this is the new PortAfino in about a month.

Sbbruin
Sbbruin

First time laying my eyes on her since October 29th. Glad she's still floating

justhookit
justhookit

Just got back from a short trip to Costa Rica to check out the boat and do a sea trial. 32 knot cruise and top end at 41. Surveys are complete and it passed with flying colors. Discovered a hidden bar

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Brew

Brew 3,049

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Goofyboy said:

Currently my son is learning the knee board. He’s tried the wakeboard some and can get up, but then immediately pulls in the rope and he falls. He’s 9, so he will get better at other things on the water. We also have a RAD. It’s great fun.

Kneeboards were the first thing all mine started on. It was the easiest way to get them used to being pulled slowly and if they were small enough they could float on it a lot of times with very little speed. We had a lot of fun on kneeboards growing up. We would set ramps up off the dock, off the beach, off walls around the water line, out in the water, and wherever else we could find. This was before wakeboards showed up locally. I have too many scars and bad joints from being stupid on the water at this point. It was my sports growing up.

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Bob Lives!

Bob Lives! 900

Posted
Posted

If you're looking for a safe way to get the littles used to standing up behind the boat by themselves, the ski trainer works wonders.  It's two skis sewn into a float that's shaped a little like a jet ski.  You're don't anchor it to the boat.  It comes with  rope and ski handle that you hold yourself inside the boat.  The float has another handle tied to it.  All the kids have to do is stand up and lean back a little with the handle.  https://www.ganderoutdoors.com/airhead-ez-ski-100-trainer-317566.html   My 5 year old still loves it but I can tell he's ready to graduate.  He's trying to make it turn and jumping up and down to catch a few inches of air.   

We've also got the kids up on this thing, an inflatable quasi-knee board with handles and a clip on the nose to hang the rope on.  The adults can stand up on it.  Our kids haven't done that yet, but it's more challenging to stand on that than a board, so I haven't been trying to get them to do it. https://www.amazon.com/ZUP-Kneeboard-Wakeboard-Wakeskate-Wakesurf/dp/B07PGJDQGF?ref_=ws_cp_7ee806de43248bf3cc6a_p_3_t_p    And I'm running a pontoon.  I just tie the rope to a cleat on the back corner of the boat. I don't have much of a wake anyways, so it's fine. I don't think the Y set up or float is necessary.  

 

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Brew

Brew 3,049

Posted
Posted (edited)

You really need to be using a harness setup. It may be fine pulling a small kid on something with limited resistance, but if you move up in size/resistance you need the forces to be spread evenly over the back of the boat. A pontoon isn’t as big a deal especially when riders are small, but a ski/fishing boat would have too much force on one side of the transom.

Also, when you say cleat I assume you mean the tow rope loop welded on the pontoons or on the frame on some newer pontoons and not just a docking cleat on the corner. Haven’t most moved to a tow bar setup now?

Edited by Brew
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troph

troph 24,783

Posted
Posted

I love seeing the kids! I was always frustrated wanting to see them do more, have more fun, get better, advance to harder skills. I wish I would have slowed down back then. I still have a young one (12) but I’m fully in the teen years with the others. They are leaving the tube behind for surfing which I like because I don’t like the aggressive style of intentionally throwing them off the tube. But at this point, what they want, I want. I want to enjoy what we have while we have it.

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Brew

Brew 3,049

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Posted

https://www.onlyinboards.com/2020-MasterCraft-XT23-DEMO-BOAT-MUST-GO--for-sale-Montgomery-Texas-115435.aspx
 

Saw this one pop up yesterday. Their XT/NXT line doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the upper level lines, but I actually like the interiors in these boats better because they don’t have all the stupid crap everywhere they put in then now.

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Bob Lives!

Bob Lives! 900

Posted
Posted
You really need to be using a harness setup. It may be fine pulling a small kid on something with limited resistance, but if you move up in size/resistance you need the forces to be spread evenly over the back of the boat. A pontoon isn’t as big a deal especially when riders are small, but a ski/fishing boat would have too much force on one side of the transom.
Also, when you say cleat I assume you mean the tow rope loop welded on the pontoons or on the frame on some newer pontoons and not just a docking cleat on the corner. Haven’t most moved to a tow bar setup now?

Our pontoon, which is a 2016, has cleats at all four corners of the deck, as in docking cleats. Looks like this while you’re running:

61245fb969f7cf4ccc9b05fe7f2865b8.jpg


Far from an ideal set up, but I’m not doing any serious tow sports behind thing anyways. It has a measly 60hp mercury.


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Cajun

Cajun 11,705

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, utee94 said:

I actually prefer this color scheme and the cleaner lines over the bass boat special posted above it. :)

 

 

I get it.  I used to hate that glittery look, but years of being out on Lake Austin and having my kids ooh and ahhhh over that kind pulled me over to the Dark Side just a bit.

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utee94

utee94 15,812

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Cajun said:

I get it.  I used to hate that glittery look, but years of being out on Lake Austin and having my kids ooh and ahhhh over that kind pulled me over to the Dark Side just a bit.

You like what you like.

For me, years of being out on Lake Austin has just made me dislike them even more than I did in the 70s/early 80s. ;)

 

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Cajun

Cajun 11,705

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, utee94 said:

You like what you like.

For me, years of being out on Lake Austin has just made me dislike them even more than I did in the 70s/early 80s. ;)

 

It's the "kid" factor.  I'm trying too hard to make them like me.  Lot's of ins and outs - what have you's...

Take that out of the equation and I'm right there with you.

Edited by Cajun
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utee94

utee94 15,812

Posted
Posted
Just now, Cajun said:

It's the "kid" factor for me.  I'm trying too hard to make them like me.

Take that out of the equation and I'm right there with you.

My kids love the clean lines of our Cobalt and dislike the glitter and other tomfoolery going on out there.  Maybe I've just raised mine better than you have yours.

 

(kidding, of course) :)

 

I've certainly grown accustomed to seeing them out there anyway.

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Cajun

Cajun 11,705

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, utee94 said:

My kids love the clean lines of our Cobalt and dislike the glitter and other tomfoolery going on out there.  Maybe I've just raised mine better than you have yours.

 

(kidding, of course) :)

 

I've certainly grown accustomed to seeing them out there anyway.

The ones that make me cringe are those that look like Spiderman fed the Geese on them...

 

Unknown-2.jpeg

Unknown.jpeg

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fattyflattie

fattyflattie 4,639

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, Lat22 said:

And I thought bay boats were expensive. 

Makes that Simmons or Isla Morada seem like a good deal. Ha. 
 

1 minute ago, Cajun said:

The ones that make me cringe are those that look like Spiderman fed the Geese on them...

 

Unknown-2.jpeg

Unknown.jpeg

I remember about 10 years ago they had one at the boat show that was completely wrapped (or might have been paint) in LV symbols.  Was...loud. 

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Cajun

Cajun 11,705

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

spacer.png

If you know someone that can make 'em I'll throw down.  I've been looking for awhile.  Roger Waters would probably have an entire army of lawyers chasing me around the lake on SeaDoos.

Solar powered, of course.  Because Roger would NEVER use internal combustion and put his Woke-O-Meter at peril.  Never.

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21,844

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Cajun said:

If you know someone that can make 'em I'll throw down.  I've been looking for awhile.  Roger Waters would probably have an entire army of lawyers chasing me around the lake on SeaDoos.

Solar powered, of course.  Because Roger would NEVER use internal combustion and put his Woke-O-Meter at peril.  Never.

I may be partial to this instead.  Sure would turn heads.  With the whole hull being white bricks.

spacer.png

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Cajun

Cajun 11,705

Posted
Posted (edited)
25 minutes ago, Texaus said:

That is just stupid. That’s getting close to Pavati ballpark. If that’s the budget, what idiot chooses a nautique

I think Pavati's about at least $110k more and that would be for the low end iirc.

Image 9-2-20 at 12.02 PM.jpeg

Edited by Cajun
My memory was errant. You are more correct than me sir!
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Bob Lives!

Bob Lives! 900

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

The best part is the "payment calculator" at the bottom.  If you have to finance a boat, don't buy a boat.  

What if you technically have the cash on hand, but would rather pay a low interest rate on the boat and keep your money invested at a higher rate of return? /mostly rhetorical

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21,844

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:
31 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:
The best part is the "payment calculator" at the bottom.  If you have to finance a boat, don't buy a boat.  

Yep. If you can't pay for toys in cash, you shouldn't be buying them.

Well, especially when those toys will keep reaching for your wallet anyway like the young stripper wife you just married.

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Brew

Brew 3,049

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2 hours ago, utee94 said:

My kids love the clean lines of our Cobalt and dislike the glitter and other tomfoolery going on out there.  Maybe I've just raised mine better than you have yours.

 

(kidding, of course) :)

 

I've certainly grown accustomed to seeing them out there anyway.

I’m with you and it’s one of the reasons along with an inflated market that I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I’m looking for the plain vanilla variety that someone sees and thinks that’s a clean look. I’ve looked at boats with green, purple, red, etc interiors on top of the crazy exterior colors out there. They are taking a beating on the secondary market. There was a Hulk version (black exterior/neon green interior) of an X series boat in MO that was easily 20% under market comps a few weeks ago.

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Chewbacca

Chewbacca 7,773

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Bob Lives! said:

What if you technically have the cash on hand, but would rather pay a low interest rate on the boat and keep your money invested at a higher rate of return? /mostly rhetorical

How many people really do that, though?  I think most justify it that way and then keep spending.  It's the American way, after all.

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G650

G650 14,252

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Posted
13 minutes ago, Bob Lives! said:

This was just listed yesterday.  Not sure I can resist the urge...

https://www.onlyinboards.com/2020-Centurion-RI237-for-sale-Forest-Grove-Oregon-115352.aspx

 

What would it cost to have a boat shipped from NW Oregon to Austin? 

 

 

Few grand from reputable hauler

 

3 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

How many people really do that, though?  I think most justify it that way and then keep spending.  It's the American way, after all.

Best summed up as, give an American $100 and he is guaranteed to spend $110.

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troph

troph 24,783

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Posted

I could pay cash but building expensive houses for CA/NY refugees is capital intensive.  happy to pay a note for a boat and put our cash elsewhere.  and who cares about buying a boat with a note, folks do it with cars all the time and if your entertainment is a boat and you don't have cash to buy it but you can cash flow it then by all means, enjoy it!  we all only live once, and most of us will work until we die because we either love it or we have to do it.  just hope you're the former.

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Brew

Brew 3,049

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, troph said:

I could pay cash but building expensive houses for CA/NY refugees is capital intensive.  happy to pay a note for a boat and put our cash elsewhere.  and who cares about buying a boat with a note, folks do it with cars all the time and if your entertainment is a boat and you don't have cash to buy it but you can cash flow it then by all means, enjoy it!  we all only live once, and most of us will work until we die because we either love it or we have to do it.  just hope you're the former.

I finance my boats if I can get an interest rate below a certain level. I have other places I prefer to put cash quickly (primarily real estate, sometimes stock) and I like to keep cash available if I want to buy something quickly like a boat that I may turn around and finance out. I don’t really care if someone thinks it’s a waste of 3-4% a year to do it.

Also, I don’t see looking down on others that need to finance to get on the water. Buying a $150k boat on credit when you’re tight probably isn’t the best idea, but if you’re buying a $40k used boat and financing it because you have to, whatever.

Edited by Brew
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Chewbacca

Chewbacca 7,773

Posted
Posted
I finance my boats if I can get an interest rate below a certain level. I have other places I prefer to put cash quickly (primarily real estate, sometimes stock) and I like to keep cash available if I want to buy something quickly like a boat that I may turn around and finance out. I don’t really care if someone thinks it’s a waste of 3-4% a year to do it.
Also, I don’t see looking down on others that need to finance to get on the water. Buying a $150k boat on credit when you’re tight probably isn’t the best idea, but if you’re buying a $40k used boat and financing it because you have to, whatever.
Not looking down on anyone. I just don't finance toys. Not prudent, IMO. But I'm probably more fiscally conservative than most.
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TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31,451

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Posted
21 minutes ago, G650 said:

Thats dandy until life changes and you can't afford the payment and no one wants to buy a disposable item.

Yeah, some of you obviously make extensive use of credit in your business endeavors and possibly as a result have a) more comfort with high debt levels and b) access to credit facilities in extenuating (or any other) circumstances, that some of the rest of us don't because we eschew debt.

It has never happened to me, but I fear a cash crunch scenario where I have to liquidate the higher-yielding investments in order to continue debt service and the whole "cheap money scenario" comes crashing down around my head.

I also have this thing about paying debt service exclusively out of current income and to do otherwise makes me nervous norvus.

So, cash for toys.

 

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TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31,451

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, troph said:

I could pay cash but building expensive houses for CA/NY refugees is capital intensive.  happy to pay a note for a boat and put our cash elsewhere.  and who cares about buying a boat with a note, folks do it with cars all the time and if your entertainment is a boat and you don't have cash to buy it but you can cash flow it then by all means, enjoy it!  we all only live once, and most of us will work until we die because we either love it or we have to do it.  just hope you're the former.

My parents' former next-door neighbor, who makes a shit ton as a senior director at Alix Partners, carried lots for builders in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow and took a hefty share of the profit.  Each lot probably requiring 500-700k financing.

When he was my parents' neighbor, their house (first McMansion on the block) was worth $850k, and they didn't make a ton when they sold because it was prior to everything exploding.  He has moved at least twice and now lives in one of the "100 most expensive houses in Dallas" carried on the tax rolls at $12M and probably worth twice that.  In fewer than 20 years.  His wife was an appellate star at Haynes & Boone and flat quit her job.

Good business if you got the balls for it.

Edited by TwiceHorn
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Brew

Brew 3,049

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Posted
1 hour ago, G650 said:

Thats dandy until life changes and you can't afford the payment and no one wants to buy a disposable item.

You can say that about any financing realistically. I’m not saying it’s a great financial decision, but I don’t begrudge them. I come from a different background. My dad picked up an ‘89 Ebtide from the factory financed for 15 years for like $200 a month at a stupid interest rate. He made all 180 payments and we had a lot of fun with it growing up. Without the ability to finance, he would not have been able to do it. Smart? Probably not, but it is what it is.

Finance your toys if you want to. Be smart about it, but I don’t believe that means you have to pay cash. Sometimes the timing of when it makes sense to buy something for your family doesn’t always line up with the best timing financially.

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TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31,451

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Brew said:

You can say that about any financing realistically. I’m not saying it’s a great financial decision, but I don’t begrudge them. I come from a different background. My dad picked up an ‘89 Ebtide from the factory financed for 15 years for like $200 a month at a stupid interest rate. He made all 180 payments and we had a lot of fun with it growing up. Without the ability to finance, he would not have been able to do it. Smart? Probably not, but it is what it is.

Finance your toys if you want to. Be smart about it, but I don’t believe that means you have to pay cash. Sometimes the timing of when it makes sense to buy something for your family doesn’t always line up with the best timing financially.

True enough.  In my case, the toys are for me and the wifey in our "golden years."  So I'm watching this thread and the RV threads to kind of see what's what.  The RV notion may fall by the wayside based on what I'm learning and I'm thinking it's probably a pontoon boat and a PWC or two for the go-fast fun with less potential for physical injury.  I spent most of my lake time on Lake Austin in my mid 20s, which seems like yesterday, and I have a hard time acknowledging that I have physical limitations now (good health but 50 year old bod).

Bob Lives said it pretty well for the family types:  can always make more money, can't make time with the family when the kids are of a certain age.

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Handcruser

Handcruser 2,805

Posted
Posted

I’m a sucker for a classic.


https://www.onlyinboards.com/1997-Correct-Craft-Ski-Nautique-SALE-PENDING-for-sale-Indianapolis-Indiana-115413.aspx

This would work.


https://www.onlyinboards.com/1999-Supra-Comp-Great-Ski-Boat--for-sale-Austin-Texas-115510.aspx

This would work too.

That’s all I need. And they never break.


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